Some Fabric We Stitch, Some We Stash. When We Sew...All DIVA. Welcome To My Sewing Blog: StitchStashDiva!Have a look around my blog for fun project ideas and tutorials, then visit my FABRIC SHOP on Etsy and say hello!

Why Halloween Gifts!?! There are so many times we want to give an appreciation gift, a teacher gift, or a hostess gift, yet it starts to feel like we keep exchanging the same bottle of wine with our friends or we are roaming the aisles of the grocery store trying to pick up a quick candle that "looks nice enough" to gift. Tell me it isn't just me!!!

By planning ahead you are able to save money (YAY) and give thoughtful, fun gifts to the special people in your life. Would you run to the store to buy a little thank you gift for the parent who covered your carpool obligations? Would you run to the store to buy your child's teacher a little thank you gift for having extra patience with you child on a rough day? Would you run to the store to buy your child's violin or gymnastics teacher a gift? The answer, probably not! But, wouldn't you like to be able to give them a totally unexpected yet thoughtful gift!?!

Before my family moved to Utah this past December I was a private violin teacher. I never expected any gifts for holidays, I was getting paid, yet some families always did the "extra" little things that made me feel so special and appreciated. Gift cards are always lovely, but I received so many fun gifts, specifically a lot of cookie mixes in a jar, and I absolutely loved putting them in my pantry! When company came over with really short notice I was able to pull an adorable jar of delicious treats out, add butter and eggs, and voila, domestic goddess! ;-) OK, probably not so domestic or goddess, but you get my point!

I have always enjoyed having holiday hot pads - it is such a small thing but it always puts me in such a happy mood when I bake. This kit comes with the fabric and batting to make 8 hot pads, and I usually tie two together with ribbon to take as a little hostess gift when we go to dinner at a friend's house. You never have to worry about food allergies or home decor, hot pads go in a drawer so it doesn't matter a bit if it "coordinates" at all, and they are fun! I also love having them made up and ready to go so that it saves me the quick trip to the store to "buy another candle" or bottle of wine. Don't get me wrong, I love wine and candles, but with a little bit of planning you can gift something thoughtful and unique, love it!!!

Trying to take pictures without natural light is so frustrating, so here is a sneak peek, and tomorrow I will take "good" pictures! Enjoy!!!

Monday, September 19, 2011

My 2 year old is little miss smiley...when she wants to be! Today has been such a great day, but busy, and my eager-to-smile baby girl was serving up a big side of grumpy as soon as I had her dressed and ready to take pictures this afternoon. I will try again tomorrow! Until then, here is one of my latest dresses featuring Michael Miller & Robert Kaufman fabric, love, Love, LOVE it!!!

Back View

Ready for Fall/Winter

Cuteness!

I have SO many other patterns and projects lined up, now I am just needing more time to sew! I have been having so much fun with these little Kimono-Style dresses that I have made them for almost all of my nieces, one more to go, and I am filling my daughter's closet!

My favorite feature of these dresses is the reversible option, it is two dresses for one! It seems like I never have a spare outfit when we are out and I need one so reversing my daughter's dresses has become more of a habit/pattern than I should admit to! ;-)

Now that fall is finally arriving I am starting to buy tights, leggings, and sweaters for layering. We always take at least one "warm" vacation every winter and I love that my baby girl can be layered and bundled leaving home, then with a couple of outfit modifications, be ready for the beach and warm weather when we get off the plane, all without having to pack extra clothes!

In another week I will have my holiday dresses online! It is so much fun dressing up little girls for holiday parties and visits to meet Santa, but one month a year isn't much opportunity to get full value out of a holiday dress. Don't get me wrong, still totally worth it! Still, I have a few designs that are a holiday dress with an all-season reversible option. Value!!! Please keep checking my shop!!!

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Today marks my second full month of business and I am very pleased to announce I have had 101 sales in my Etsy shop! This doesn't even count all of my neighborhood business! A huge thank you to ALL of you who have shopped my Etsy store, and for all of you who are still thinking about making purchases, I hope to earn your business soon!

My Etsy shop has been the perfect fit for my life right now, and not to forget - SO MUCH FUN! Thank you again! As a thank you to all of you who LIKE my Facebook page I have a Fat Quarter Bundle GIVEAWAY. This week only, September 15th - September 21st. You have already been entered into my giveaway just for liking my page. If you haven't yet, please do so now! For each comment you make on my Facebook page this week you will have an additional entry. For each purchase you make in my shop you will have an additional entry. If you purchase 3 separate items within one purchase, you will have three separate entries. The winner will be chosen on Thursday September 22nd, pictures to follow!

Friends, it is time to shop!!! You will win 8 Fat Quarters and FREE SHIPPING! A $23.50 Value!!!

Thursday, September 1, 2011

First of all, my customers are the BEST!!! When I started my Etsy shop I thought I was starting a simple online fabric by-the-yard business, a little hobby. I had very humble goals and expectations. Then...I opened my shop...and I am having more FUN than I ever dreamed!

Every day I have messages from new fun and fabulous people, both domestic and international. Such a surprise, a very happy surprise!!! Some messages are requests for custom bundles, some are requests for custom bundles and help determining how much fabric they need for various projects, and some messages are just fan mail - people who love my fabric and took their precious time to reach out and write me happy little notes. I LOVE ALL OF IT!!!

One of my very first customers was a fabulous woman from Oregon, my former home state! She found my shop through a Google search, then messaged me with window and crib dimensions and asked for my help to determine how much fabric she needed. That was SO much fun! We chatted briefly on the phone, I did a little research and math, then voila, a Reserved Listing was made! She just sent me pictures of her son's room and gave me both her permission and blessing to share. Thanks, A!!!

I had so much fun with all of the e-mail exchanges we had...such a fabulous lady!!!

Two or three weeks after I opened my shop I had another amazing woman message me, this time from Australia! She is expecting a baby girl and wanted to decorate her daughter's nursery in Red & Black Ladybugs, loved my Ann Kelle Ladybug fabric, but doesn't sew yet. For those of you who know me, I absolutely LOVE Red & Black Ladybugs!!! Understatement!!! My daughter's 2nd Birthday Party is a Red & Black Ladybug Themed party, woot, woot...pictures soon! She asked if I would sew crib bumpers and a quilt for her, since she doesn't sew...yet! I have a feeling she will be sewing in the very near future! She too, was SO much fun to exchange e-mail with...I am so blessed and fortunate to keep meeting such amazing people through my shop. Happy Bonus!!!

I stayed up late three nights in a row and finished the nursery bedding set for R. and she just sent me photos of her daughter's nursery! Enjoy!

I keep meeting the most vibrant and amazing people through my shop, LOVE it!!! I can't tell you how many times throughout the day I smile at my computer, having fun - I think YES! I find myself also sending little messages to other Etsy shops with "fan" mail, so much fun!

My Halloween Kits are finished and will be posted in my shop this weekend! I caught a cold this past weekend and that really slowed me down this week, not good! I am waiting for a couple of special touches to really make my pictures pop, and trust me it will be worth the wait! 2 days, more pictures and goodies to buy in 2 days!

If you have made anything you feel like sharing please send me a note and your pictures! I would love to post items made with fabric from my shop, but I welcome pictures of any handmade project you want to share! I check my Etsy messages often!

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My Fabric Shop on Etsy

The Stitch Stash Diva

Welcome!!! I started my Etsy fabric shop, StitchStashDiva, as a part-time hobby to fund my other crafty hobbies. Now I am so busy growing my shop I have very limited time to craft! Ironic, but happily ironic! This blog is dedicated to bringing you ideas and inspiration for sewing and crafting projects, and to introduce you to other crafters! The biggest surprise (blessing) to owning my Etsy shop is all of the truly amazing people I "meet" and exchange regular e-mails and pictures with! The fabric, yarn, and crafting community is AMAZING! Thank you for stopping by, and I look forward to "meeting" you too! Loving these interwebs!